thehobster

They had to. There's a process of hiring through EEOC the university has to follow, and if they don't, they expose the university to a federal lawsuit - or that was a report I read back when this all went down. Assuming that's accurate, there's no choice. It's not about an affair, it's about a federal lawsuit.

I agree in that College Football has always been haves and have nots, not parity like you see in pro leagues. But the difference now, IMO, is that the money is above the table with zero regulation. When money wasn't obvious, the deals were smaller and you didn't want to get caught (see SMU as a case study on what not to do). Now, there's nothing stopping from paying a player whatever his market value is, so the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Arkansas has the advantage of being in the SEC over lots of other places. But until WalMart, JB Hunt, etc step in and start making the big NIL deals for Arkansas, we'll be a second-class team under the current NIL rules (or lack thereof).

I hope you don't say ATM Machine.

(stolen from someone much cleverer than myself) Arguing with a UCF fan is rather like trying to play chess with a pigeon: it knocks the pieces over, craps on the board, and flies back to its flock to claim victory.

I'm not sure I'd go that far, but I'd be willing to give the 550k we're paying Portland State in 2019 to find out.

I think they should all sit this one out and send a lesser talented team member from their high school who didn't get a scholarship. I would hate to think an injury in a meaningless game derails their pro career before they even get to college.

We all knew that one dude in college who wasn't much of a looker and he dated way out of his league. What we didn't know then was that boy knew how to tell others what they wanted to hear. Now if CCM can execute in coaching the way he recruits, the future is looking up for Arkansas Football.

Hmm - schadenfreude coming from a not Bama? Makes sense...

Given the interrogative of the headline, I thought this was about Bama becoming a new NFL franchise (yes, I know, but it caught me funny)

I think it was Hog Nation Facebook group where they've been ripping him to shreds. One guy went on and on about how much money he gives to the program and expects better results, CM should be fired, CM's a high school coach who isn't SEC caliber, CBP's available, the athletes are horrible, etc. I quit the group as I'm weary of that level of negativity (and ignorance in many cases).

Back in 2012 Arkansas scheduled Michigan for a home and home in 2018 and 2019. Michigan subsequently broke the agreement for the opportunity to play Notre Dame. Not that the Hogs would have won, but I would have liked to see the series anyway - and maybe Brando would shut his mouth. Or not.

Funny - I have different perspective. I generally agree with your conclusion, and I hate to see us lose. But living in Houston (and being in Europe when this game is played), I feel like I have to make an effort to stay connected to the program. If it's on, I'm watching. Here's to hoping ESPN3 allows me to watch live in Amsterdam and the hotel has decent WiFi!

I don't think a bowl is realistic this year, but then again I never did. I'm OK with that, this year, since I'm seeing improvement week to week for a couple of weeks now. Maybe we'll have it put together by end of year to play a good game against Missouri. I hope I'm wrong (and I often am).

As I was reading the Houston Chronicle article, they completely minimized Arkansas' defense and talked about A&M letting up. Typical. I guess when the Ags lose it's of their own doing and they never just get beat.

My son is convinced we'll win one SEC game this year. I don't see it, but if he's right I guess Ole Miss better watch out. I'm sure they're shaking in their cleats...

OOOOOOOOOhhhh - a radio/podcaster being provocative. Quick, someone call Howard Stern and tell him!

UnknownNobody: Only intramural. I added the caveat on the comment below about not hearing because I agree someone might miss the whistle. But should every player start walking off the field if they don't hear a whistle blow? Grant Morgan even asked the returner on the field why they didn't blow the whistle, yet he still turned and walked away.

You still don't walk off the field until you hear the whistle. Maybe not cream the receiver, but stay ready until the whistle blows.

According to NCAA Rules, Ball Declared Dead, Article 3, line g: "When a scrimmage kick or a free kick is caught or recovered by any player after a valid or invalid fair-catch signal". Your point is valid considering kick team is flying down the field, receive team gives fair catch signal, ball is received and not muffed, slight delay, whistle blows play dead. That slight delay can get someone hurt because kick team can hit the person fielding the kick with the way the rule is today. Then there's the definition of defenseless player: "A kick returner attempting to catch or recover a kick, or one who has completed a catch or recovery and has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a ball carrier". During the delay above, he's by definition, defenseless. Ok, I'm about to talk myself into agreeing with you.

You hear the whistle. Or you don't. I never played in a stadium of 100,000 people, but I have to think if you're running at someone, and there's someone behind them blowing a whistle, you're going to hear it even if you don't see the fair catch call.

No whistle, keep playing. When the player gets his jaw broken because the refs didn't blow the whistle, it's on the refs. Every other player seems to have figured this out - well except for perhaps Marquel Wade.

I think most Arkansas fans came into the season with pretty low expectations. You don't go from a CBB offense to a CCM offense without major changes in personnel. That's not happening in one season. I'm all-in on the potential for CCM to re-establish recruiting in Texas and bring in the type of ball these kids like to play - and maybe even some talent to go along with it. Plus, Chavis has his work cut out for him.

I'm reasonably sure anyone reading SDS wants and expects more than 7 or 8 wins each season. No one said settle. The comments before were about how vitriolic comments on social media hurt recruiting which in turn hurt the program. It is possible to be passionate about the game and not throw insults around. Recruits read this. That said, I think a coach needs 4 years. If you're not showing improvement in year 5, it may not be the place for you. I know many disagree with that. That's fine. But for the love of the program, I'm not going to make fun of a coach's physical characteristics or tell others who disagree with me to eat a d..k. Why? It doesn't help.

If you want to talk about a program rather than hurl insults, consider this: we *have* become a middling program due in no small part to a coaching carousel. In 25 years we've had, what, 8 head coaches (including interim). Take out the 10 years or so of Houston Nutt and that's 7 coaches in 15 years. We had one AWESOME coach in that time (yes, I'm talking about Petrino). But the program has had a recent history of instability which hurts recruiting. And bad mouthing the program doesn't help. If CBB is the wrong man to lead the team, great. School leadership will take care of that. I'm just tired of comments on social media hurting the program.

Worst coach in the History of Arkansas football? Seriously? John L? Ok, he was part time. That doesn't count. Jack Crowe?

Agreed. "Hey dad, I just read on Twitter someone just called the coach a fat pig who couldn't coach his way out of a wet paper bag. I think I'll take an official visit" said no one ever. As soon as the average fan realizes 1) Bobby Petrino is never coming back and 2) Chip Kelly won't give us the time of day, we can move deeper into the middling program we've become (at best) in the SEC. And if we can not insult the staff at the same time, we might bring in some talent who can win almost 10 games a season.

Alex Collins goes for 185 yards and three touchdowns and doesn't make the team. Man that's some stiff competition. But Fournette and Jefferson had the better numbers.

Amen.

I don't wish this on anyone. I was in school during the Hatfield->Crowe->Kines->Ford era at Arkansas (4 coaches in 4 years). And we all saw what happened from Petrino->Smith->Bielema. Now I know it's not the same situation, but any instability in a program just sucks. Period. aTm will weather the storm, go through changes, and keep on going.

I was thinking c+ myself before I read the actual grade, so it was nice to see someone agree with me. + or no, I can't go over a C when at one point we were 2-4. I gave the + based on the finish. How in the last 6 we give up 28 to UT Martin and hold LSU to 14 is incomprehensible.